The Socialist Party is a democratic, multi-tendency, and membership-based political party and activist organization, with continuous opportunities for involvement at the state, local, and national level. All Michigan residents holding agreement with the Socialist Party Statement of Principles are eligible for membership in the Socialist Party of Michigan.
The Socialist Party of Michigan is the chartered Michigan state party branch of the Socialist Party USA, holding statewide jurisdiction on behalf of the national Party. Accordingly, by joining the Socialist Party of Michigan, you additionally assume automatic national membership in the Socialist Party USA, as well as membership in any Socialist Party local branch whose chartered jurisdiction includes the area where you reside.
Membership Includes all of the Following:
- Full voting, motioning, and proposal-making rights at all state and local SP membership meetings and conventions; state, local, and national membership referenda; and within any national Party commissions that a member chooses to join;
- Subscription & posting access to the SPMI members’ listserve, the SPUSA members’ listserve, the SPUSA members’ discussion board, and any applicable local members’ listserves;
- Socialist Party membership card/stamp-booklet;
- Subscription to the SP’s national magazine, The Socialist (published bi-monthly);
- Subscription to the SP Women’s Commission’s magazine, Socialist Women (when published);
- Subscription to the SP national internal discussion bulletin, Hammer & Tongs (published quarterly);
- Subscription to the SP National Office’s newsletter, The Organizer (published quarterly);
Sliding Scale for Annual National and State Membership Dues
Annual payment of both national and state membership dues is required for Socialist Party membership.
Full-Time Student (New Members Only)
National Dues: $15.
State Dues: $5
(annual incomes under $20k)
National Dues: base rate: $30 or sliding scale up to $75
State Dues: $15
(annual net incomes between $20k-$35k)
National dues: base rate: $75 or sliding scale up to $150
State Dues: $25
(annual net incomes between $35k-$50k)
National Dues: base rate: $150 or sliding scale up to $270
State Dues: $50
(annual net incomes of $50k-$65k)
National Dues: base rate: $270 plus 1% of net income over $50,000
State Dues: base rate: $54 + 0.2% (one-fifth of 1%) of net income over $50,000/yr
(annual net incomes over $65k)
National Dues: base rate: $420 plus 2% of net income over $65,000/yr
State Dues: base rate: $84 + 0.4% (two-fifths of 1%) of net income over $65,000/yr
Poverty and prisoners = Waivable (must request hardship waiver in writing – with specification of the reason for which a waiver is needed.)
(Payment of annual national membership dues may alternatively be divided into monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual installments. To set up a divided installment arrangement for payment of your national membership dues, please complete the SPUSA “Alternative Dues Payment” form available here).
Click Here to Apply for Membership Online
Click Here to Download a Printable Membership Application
After reading our Statement of Principles, send your application and annual national/state membership dues to:
Socialist Party of Michigan
P.O. Box 441076
Detroit, MI 48244
Check/money-order payments for national and state membership dues can either be submitted on two separate checks or money-orders made out to “Socialist Party USA” and “Socialist Party of Michigan,” respectively, or combined together onto a single check or money-order made out to “Socialist Party of Michigan.”
You can also pay your national and state membership dues directly online through PayPal, after filling out the online membership application form at the “Apply for Membership Online” link above. To pay your dues through PayPal, simply scroll down and click on the yellow “PayPal Donate” button at the bottom of this page.
Once your application is received, an elected member of the SPMI’s State Executive Committee (or local executive committee, where applicably chartered) will contact you to provide a general introductory rundown of the Socialist Party’s core principles and organizational structure, and correspondingly address any questions you may have, prior to officially processing your membership admission at the next scheduled state/local SP membership meeting (or at the next state/local executive committee meeting if no applicable membership meeting is scheduled to take place within the following two week period).
We request that you submit your first year’s annual membership dues concurrently with your application, in order to allow for regular and expedient processing. A full and immediate refund of dues payments is automatically provided in the very rare occurrence of any circumstance or issue serving to preclude or postpone an applicant’s directly following membership admission, or at any time upon a pending membership applicant’s request.
